1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for feeding animals, including wild game, such as deer, elk, squirrels, rabbits and like animals and more particularly, to a quiet automatic feeding device which simulates the falling of nuts such as acorns from trees in a random manner. The game feeder is capable of operating reliably and automatically according to a selected time sequence to disperse pelletized particulate or granulated food or grain such as corn beneath the tree or other support for a selected period of time. In a preferred embodiment the game feeder of this invention is characterized by a cylindrical metal housing or hopper for containing particulate feed such as corn and is adapted for suspending from a tree limb or other support with a sound-insulated dispensing system and a timer mechanism for automatically quietly dispensing feed from an elevated position to the ground at selected intervals. In a most preferred embodiment a hopper feed bowl is provided on the bottom of the feed hopper and the feeding mechanism is characterized by a feeder housing fitted with a rotating feeder wheel driven by battery-operated motor and gearbox, wherein the feeder housing and the hopper feed bowl are provided with sound-deadening insulation to facilitate dispensing of corn or other particulate food from the hopper through the feeder housing by operation of the feeder wheel and from an opening in the hopper feed bowl, to the ground.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The feeding of various types of animals including fish in remote or generally inaccessible areas has received considerable attention in recent years, both for the purpose of hunting, fishing and game management. Various types of automatic feeding device are known, most of which include a hopper for storing pelletized or particulate food or grain such as corn and various types of mechanisms for dispensing the food from the hopper at controlled intervals. Many of these devices are fitted with an on-demand feeding system which is activated by the animals or fish themselves and dispense the feed upon contacting a bar or lever which is suspended from the hopper. Other mechanisms are fitted with automatic dispensers which allow the feed to flow from the hopper at predetermined time intervals, including broadcast-type feeding mechanisms which utilize a spinning wheel to receive particulate food or grain from the hopper and broadcast the food or grain over a wide area beneath the feeding device.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved bottom-access automatic game feeder which is self-contained, automatic and capable of quietly feeding animals according to predetermined time sequences.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved game feeder which may be located in remote and inaccessible areas and serves to automatically, quietly and reliably feed animals, including wild game, according to predetermined time sequences and for predetermined feed-dispensing intervals.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a self-contained automatic game feeder which may be suspended from a tree limb or other support above an animal feeding area and includes sound-deadening insulation to facilitate dispensing of particulate feed quietly according to timed sequences to the feeding area.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved game feeder which is characterized by a hopper or container for containing particulate food such as corn and a feeding mechanism attached to the bottom of the hopper and contained within a hopper feed bowl having an opening in the bottom thereof. The feed mechanism includes a battery-operated motor and gearbox electrically connected to a timing mechanism and a sound-insulated feeder wheel for dispensing particulate feed or grain from the hopper to a sound-insulated hopper feed bowl quietly and in a selected time sequence that simulates the falling of acorns and other nuts from trees to minimize the noise of operation and alarm to the animals in the feeding area.